Orgill is ready for showtime in Orlando
Digital events allow for efficient buying from anywhere in the country. Live events provide the tangible and intangible benefits of networking and discovery. And when Orgill nation descends on Orlando next week, the event organizers hope to capture the best of both worlds.
Such a hybrid approach—online buying in conjunction with live event—may become the model of the future for the Memphis-based distributor’s markets. In 2022, Orgill is planning its upcoming live-and-virtual event Feb. 24-26, followed by three virtual markets later in the year.
Orgill CEO Boyden Moore says that the Orgill team is excited about going live in Orlando and that Orgill customers are showing signs of strong support for the upcoming live and online market. (Door Buster pre-bookings began Feb. 7, and the buying event will continue online through March 4.)
The hybrid approach “really takes the experience of the in-person event to another level,” he said.
During the 175th anniversary year of the founding of Orgill Brothers, the event will offer several highlights, including a flowing tribute to two former Orgill family leaders. Attendees will have the chance to toast each other with microbrews named after Joe Orgill and Mike McDonnell, Orgill family members who led the company’s growth surge through the late 20th century.
The model store concept that has become a focal point at Orgill events for years, will be back with a twist. The model stores in Orlando will actually be based on of high-performing CNRG brands: pro-oriented LumberJack Building Materials of Michigan, and Town & Country Hardware of North Carolina. The latter will include a real-world demonstration of Orgill’s FanBuilder loyalty program.
“We’re trying to bring more of the experiences and insights from what we’ve learned with all of our customers and share those in new and different ways,” Moore said.
Additionally, educational sessions–offered both live and online—will offer insights into merchandising, marketing leadership, and supply-chain-disruption mitigation.
On the market floor, Orgill services will play a more conspicuous role. “A high percentage of dealers are looking to expand their assortments, and we wanted to answer that call,” he said. “We will offer a huge new-products showcase this year.”
The Orgill Dealer Market is taking place as national headlines document rising prices across industries and across the board. Inflation, said Moore, “is something that should be on everyone’s mind right now.” One mitigating response is “programmatic buying,” he suggested. Such a move involves planning ahead and leaning on the distributor’s programs. “That gives us more time to react to our customers' needs,” Moore said.
But high inflation and disrupted supply chains– as challenging as they are -- wouldn’t rank at the top of the list of challenges Orgill has faced in its 175-year run. The distributor found ways to work through a Great Depression, a Civil War, and the emergence of the warehouse home center challenge.
Orgill hit $1 billion in sales 2006, after nearly 160 years in business. Ten years later, in 2016, it hit the $2 billion mark. And in 2020, Orgill crossed the milestone of $3 billion in annual sales—and $3.5 billion last year.
“We’ve found ways to help the independent channel be successful, and we take pride in that,” Moore said.
